Monday, 03 December 2007

• Here and Now/Yubikiri Update #3: First Day

  I've decided this story won't be so short anymore.  Enjoy, and sorry for any grammar or spelling mistakes.  I'll review it once I get time after class.
  
  12/6/07
  I polished up a few grammatical and flow problems I found while reading it over.  Not all too much different really.  Feel free to comment, you lurking people, you.
  

  ---

  Tobias questioned the absurd logic his parents had used when deciding to move. They jeopardized his fragile social psyche by forcing him to make new friends so late in his high school life. Or maybe that's a bit of a stretch.

  His first day was rough. It wasn't as though no one had noticed his existence, but it was the first time he had went through a whole day only muttering the same word, six times.

  “Here.”

  His classmates gossiped around him, and, here and there, he caught mentions of his name. It was expected, he supposed, it wasn't like he could blend in easily with the students who had most likely known each other since childhood and he didn't exactly try to socialize all too much. The quiet demeanor he tried to hold, the solemn expression of contemplation, infatuation with the view outside the window, and detachment from it all did excite a bit more mystery and murmur surrounding him.

  Tobias had tried to find that melodist who had so graciously thrown her hairbrush at him. He kept an eye out for a glimpse of that long brunette hair, and he did find brunettes, but none of them were her. It was hard to say what really told him that none of the girls he had seen were her, he had only seen her for a few, fleeting moments that one morning.

  It wasn't as if he was infatuated with the girl, he just wanted to return the hairbrush. That was it. Really.

  As a turn of fate, Tobias found her after school, but it was probably better if he never had at all. She was surrounded by her friends and seemed to be having a fine time, her infectious smile brimming with joy. It seemed as if she had never learned to frown and had mastered the art of smiling.

  Tobias stood a bit awkwardly for a moment before he remembered the hairbrush. Rummaging through his bag, he took it out, and when he looked up, she was gazing his way. However, her countenance was different. Her smile had disappeared and became an uneasy expression as she turned away. She excused herself from her friends and left. As Tobias wondered to himself about what had happened, he turned and began to fumble with his bag and the hairbrush once again. Walking without looking up and still trying to place the hairbrush back into his bag without breaking the damned thing, Tobias bumped into someone. A metallic clink sounded as metal framed glasses fell to the ground.

  “Sorry,” Tobias murmured as he took a side step.

  “It's fine,” the student whom Tobias bumped into knelt down and picked up his glasses. He had disheveled dark brown hair and had a stern expression worn into his face. For a moment, he gazed away from Tobias with a complacent look in his eyes when he had arisen. Turning back to Tobias, he smiled a polite smile and held out his hand.

  “My name's Aden,” Tobias shook his hand awkwardly, “You're the new student, right? Thomas? It's nice to meet you.”

  “Tobias, actually,” he laughed nervously, “Nice to meet you, I guess.”

  “You're leaving now, right? Let me walk you to the gate,” Aden insisted.

  “Ah, sure.”
  
  Tobias and Aden walked to the front gate with an awkward silence, though it was only a half a minute's walk.

  “If you have any questions about the school, don't hesitate to ask me. I'm sure it must be hard adjusting to a new school and a new scene,” Aden suggested as they reached the gate.

  “Actually,” Tobias began, “ah, never mind.”

  “All right, well see you tomorrow then,” Aden began walking off and waved good-bye.

  “Later, I guess,” Tobias said to no one in particular.

  He began to walk home and, after he rounded a turn, he noticed he was following the girl with raven hair. She turned at one point, and noticed Tobias. She then began to quicken her pace.

  Tobias was a bit puzzled.

  After a while, she stopped and confronted Tobias as he drew closer.

  “Why are you following me? Are you some kind of stalker? I'll have you know, I'm not afraid you kick you in the-”

  “I'm not following you,” Tobias laughed, “Well, I am-”

  “I knew it!” she interrupted and began to take a few steps backwards, “I-I'm calling the police!”

  “No, no, let me finish,” Tobias grasped her arm and pulled her back, “I'm following you because this is the way home for me.”

  “Don't lie to me! If this really is your way home, how come I've never seen you walk his way before?” she interrogated him.

  “I guess that's because I'm new around here,” Tobias responded a meekly. This girl was a bit straightforward.

  “Oh,” an expression of realization showed itself, “that would explain why I don't find you familiar. You're that new student, Timothy, right?”

  “Tobias, actually,” this seemed familiar, “Well, bye then.”

  “Wait just a minute!” she hollered after him when he began to walk away causing him to cringe, “Get back here!”

  “Yes?” he stood in front of her with a quizzical expression. She held out her books and dropped them. Tobias reacted as quickly as he could, catching the books, but almost falling over in the process.

  “What're you doing?” he exclaimed as she began to walk ahead of him.

  “It's only right for a gentleman to carry a lady's books,” she mused as she strolled on ahead of him, “My name is Cecile, thank you very much for asking.”

  “I never asked,” Tobias murmured to himself under his breath as he adjusted his grip on the books.

  “What was that?” she practically yelled at him.

  “N-nothing.”

  And that was Tobias's first day.

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